


Building Igloos With Frostbite

by Xmarksthespot



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-03-09 10:29:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3246299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xmarksthespot/pseuds/Xmarksthespot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A snowstorm hits Republic City that winter—the biggest snowstorm they had seen since before Asami was born, to be exact.</p>
<p>Asami is not used to the cold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Building Igloos With Frostbite

A snowstorm hits Republic City that winter—the biggest snowstorm they had seen since before Asami was born, to be exact.

Naturally (as in: after so many years of constant attacks and collateral damage via the Avatar and threats against humanity), the city prepares well in advance. There are radiators in each home, shelters with well stocked food and blankets for anybody who needed them, and the Republic City hospital was always staffed in case of emergency.                

Entering in their usual roles, the team had quickly disbursed themselves across the city with tasks on hand, helping the city prepare for the impending snowstorm before eventually landed on Air Temple Island for some of Pema’s hot soup.

Of course, as luck would have it, they had prepared everybody _but_ themselves.

“Would you like another one of my sweaters, Asami?” Pema asks, handing Asami one of her maternity sweaters anyway before receiving the response. The bulky fabric falls easily over the two sweaters Asami already has on, and the industrialist blushes at how incompatible she is with severe weather compared to everybody else.

Mako and Bolin were comfortable in their own clothes without needing anything extra. The former had already left with Tenzin to sort out the heating in the air nomad’s home while Bolin was trying (and failing) to force Meelo into a long sleeve.

“Thank you, Pema,” Asami replies. She looks over to where Ikki and Jinora sat comfortably with their books in hand. Both were dressed suitably, though not to the extent that Asami has. “It must seem so weird for me to be asking for more when it looks like the storm isn’t affecting you guys at all.”

Pema giggles. “Oh, don’t worry. After a few trips with Tenzin back to the South Pole, you kind of get used to it. Besides, living on an island means we face the cold front a lot more than the city does.”

Right. They’re on an _island_ and islands get _cold fronts._

Hours later, it would be Asami’s luck that she’s got three sweaters on and a thick, wool blanket covering her, but is _still_ shivering like someone’s tossed her in a frozen lake.

She couldn’t exactly complain. She’s appreciative that Tenzin had let them stay over, but there was a nagging voice in her head that back in her home, there were heaters everywhere rather than an oil lamp to keep her warm. She could still hear the wind howl outside, and the thought of the entire temple being covered in snow the next morning sends more goose bumps—if possible—down her arms.

It’s downright impossible to fall asleep, what with Asami cocooning herself to the point of discomfort on the floorboards.

“You can do this,” she tells herself through chattering teeth. She extends her fingers just to pull the corner of the blankets in closer, but immediately regrets it when the cold air meets with her hands. “You can do this. You are Asami Sato. You are the Chief Executive Officer of Future Industries. You are resilient. You are—”

The door opens and Asami yelps at the cold air that enters her room.

It is very undignifying.

“Asami?”

“K-Korra, please shut the door behind you.”

“Uh, okay.” The Avatar steps in, easily shrugging off her coat and folding it neatly on the side where the rest of her clothes lie. Asami briefly wonders if Tenzin’s figured out the nature of their relationship yet, or if he still thinks these were the little sleepovers that he keeps insisting whenever Ikki asks.

The sight of her girlfriend is comforting, at least. She hasn’t seen Korra all day. Last Asami heard, Lin had called Korra over to the city for some last minute tune-ups concerning the storm.

“What’s with the blankets?” Korra asks. “You look like an arctic hippo—uh wait, no, that’s not what I meant. I mean...”

“I’m not used to the cold,” Asami says before Korra could dig herself into a hole any further. “I used to have radiators all over my house blasting warm air into the rooms at all times. This,” she points to the oil lamp set up in the corner of the room, “is sort of new to me.”

Korra nods understandably, but there must be a limit to that comprehension, Asami thinks, because Korra’s still in a simple short-sleeve and she’s shed her pants for sleepwear just as equally thin.

“I have some extra coats, if you want,” Korra mentions and Asami can’t help but feel more embarrassed. Korra must have noticed, even in the dark, because she reaches out and pinches the two ends of the blanket encasing Asami together, shielding her from the cold air. “They’re lined with polar leopard fur. It’s a little warmer than the stuff you find here in the city.”

Asami smiles in response. “Maybe in the morning when we go out. Thank you.”

“No problem.” With that, Korra falls to her back on Asami’s right—her preferred sleeping spot— and lies next to the cocoon that is Asami.

In spite of the cold, she still wants to be in contact with Korra, and so she decides to sacrifice her left arm in favour of pulling Korra closer. Upon contact, Asami almost flinches.

“What?”

“You’re so warm!” It’s all Asami says before she unsheathes herself from the bundle of blankets and pulls Korra in closer to her body, feeling the vibration from the bender as she laughs. Asami feels a little bad that suddenly there’s a weight of the blankets on top of Korra mixed with Asami’s frozen hands clutching onto the bare skin of her arm, but it seems as though she doesn’t mind.

“I never really noticed it. “ And suddenly one of Korra’s hands snake up from under Asami’s sweaters to feel the contrast of temperatures. It would’ve been ticklish had the feeling of Korra’s warm hand around her waist not been so welcoming. It was easy to feel the warmth spread from Korra's hold to her body. “I guess I am,” Korra says.

“Do you think it’s because you’re a bender? The cold doesn’t seem to affect Mako and Bolin too badly either,” Asami points out.

“Could be, but they’re used to sleeping outdoors. Probably more _resilient_ than some Chief Executive Officers.”

If Korra’s skin hadn’t been there, then the way Asami’s face heated up might’ve been enough to face the freezing temperatures.

“You heard that?”

“You know I appreciate your pep talks. Even if they are to yourself.”

Asami digs her face into the crook of Korra’s neck, avoiding her girlfriend's teasing look. Even in the darkness, Asami could always tell when Korra is staring at her, like it's another hidden Avatar ability to pierce through darkness. At some point that night, half of her body had rested itself on top of Korra’s, stealing all the warm energy that it could. It isn’t at all uncomfortable as Asami had been earlier with the bundle of blankets. Even with pure muscle and bones under her, Asami feels like she fits like two aligned gears.

“Hey.”

“Yeah?” Asami murmurs, but her voice is muffled from her lips practically pressed onto Korra’s shoulders.

"You know, there are other things we could do to stay warm."

"Hm? Like what?"

Asami could practically feel Korra’s growing smirk. "Oh, just some things I learned in the spirit world."

 

The next day, everybody gathers around the warm breakfast Pema has set up when Meelo loudly asks Korra why her floorboards were squeaking so much the night before.

Tenzin chokes on his tea, face growing red, and Asami assumes he _must_ know by now.

“I don’t know _what_ you’re talking about,” Korra says. “It was probably the wind.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yay, thanks a lot to Canadian winters for encouraging me to write this fic! Note that I'm looking for an expert cuddler this winter. Applications will appear once you've hit "Kudos" and maybe "Comment". The applicant chosen will receive free hot chocolate each time we cuddle.


End file.
